FLORENCE, Italy — Rocco Commisso, the vocal owner of the Italian soccer club Fiorentina and chairman of New York’s Mediacom Communications, has passed away at the age of 76.
Both Fiorentina and Mediacom confirmed Commisso’s passing early Saturday but did not disclose the cause.
“After a long period of medical care, our cherished president has departed, and today we all grieve his loss,” Fiorentina stated. “His passion for Fiorentina was the greatest gift he could have given himself.”
Having transformed Mediacom into one of America’s largest cable television providers, Commisso acquired Fiorentina in 2019 and gained a reputation for voicing his frustrations regarding Italy’s bureaucracy and the challenges in constructing new stadiums.
Born in Calabria, he immigrated to the United States when he was 12 years old.
Commisso also owned the New York Cosmos and played soccer at Columbia University, an Ivy League institution he continued to support through charitable efforts. The university’s soccer stadium bears his name.
The Cosmos described Commisso as “a passionate leader who devoted his life to soccer and the sport’s future in this nation.”
“Rocco championed what was best for American soccer, believing in the development of the game, the significance of community, and the role of clubs in inspiring future generations,” the New York club remarked on X.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also paid his respects to Commisso.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of Rocco Commisso’s passing, the president of Fiorentina, who dedicated his life to our beautiful game,” Infantino commented on Instagram. “When I met him, he spoke of his players as if they were his own children, about his club as if it were a part of him. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and everyone who knew and worked with him. A true great.”
During his time at Fiorentina, Commisso celebrated the team’s advancement to the Conference League final in both 2023 and 2024.
yet, the team is currently facing difficulties this season, sitting in Serie A’s relegation zone.
Commisso is survived by his wife, Catherine, and their two children, Giuseppe and Marisa.
